✧

I shut Viola's door with a slam. My head shakes as I storm down the hall. She'll have to get over it. I need her. I need her more than she realises. It might not be the best way to earn her trust, but she'll come to, sooner or later.

When I push my way into the office I find Maddox leaning against a bookcase with his golden brown arms firmly over his chest. I exhale a breath but choose to ignore him as I make a beeline towards the desk.

With Aurelia's new training schedule and our border security ramped up, all we have left is to brace ourselves for Malakai's appearance. He'll find us sooner or later. And I want us to be ready, even when he thinks we'll lose.

"You are one crazy son of a bitch, you know that?" Maddox grumbles as I sit down.

My fingers swipe across the papers on the desk. "What?" I rasp in annoyance. "What are you talking about?"

Maddox walks around the room and stands at the edge of the desk, arms still over his chest as if to prove a point. I tilt my head to meet his dark gaze. "Your mate..." he trails off. "Bringing her here. I don't understand why you would do it when you know we're in danger. It's another person to protect, when we need to be looking after our own. Haze, this is bigger than your childish fetishes."

"They're not childish or fetishes," I scowl.

"So, you're telling me that kidnapping her isn't one of your fucked up fantasies?"

"I did it because she wouldn't have given me a chance on her own."

Maddox releases a laugh void of humour. "And you think that's going to win her over?"

"Stay out of it."

"We've got bigger things at hand than your love life."

I bite down on my jaw and look up at him beneath my dark lashes. "It's not about my love life, asshole."

He opens his mouth only to close it a second later. He stares at me for a long moment.

"Oh my Goddess," he shifts between his feet. "This is because of what the elders told you about her, isn't it? They said your mate needs to be by your side to conquer your powers. That's why she's here, to help you get them back."

An uneasy feeling settles over my stomach. I've been in desperate need to gain back my powers for years and the answer I was looking for wasn't in my mate. I needed something more practical, until I found myself face to face with her during the attack.

Now I can't let her go. Not if she's my only chance at getting them back.

The elders didn't tell me how, but they said that she is my answer and if we stand a chance against Malakai, then I need all of my abilities to protect my people. It's not a need, I'm embarrassed to call it desperation.

Viola is the answer and I'm going to do everything in my power to figure out how.

I need the other half of the amulet I was given at birth by my parents, the only issue; Malakai possesses the other half. If only I knew where he keeps it, but I don't, and I'm not ready to risk everything.

This is where Viola comes in. Except I need to work out how I can use her to my advantage.

"Of course it is," I lean back in the chair. "This might be our chance at wiping Malakai off the face of the earth. I don't know how Viola can help but I trust their judgement. They know the future."

Maddox snorts. "And I was here thinking you wanted to win over her heart."

I shrug. "Wouldn't mind the other benefits."

"Of course you'd say that, you sick bastard, but you need your powers first."

"Always," I nod.

"How's she settling in?"

I pin him with a harsh stare. "How do you expect?"

"She hates you?"

"For now," I sigh heavily and flick my eyes to the papers on my desk. "Things will get easier over time and eventually she'll open up to me. I can use her to my advantage and then we can finally settle without the fear of an attack. I'm sick of living like this. We deserve better, we've always deserved better."

Maddox drops his hands to his sides. "Talk about romance is dead."

I roll my eyes. "I'm not here for a love story," I shake my head in dismissal. "I'm here because I need my powers to live and I'm tired of living like this. I'm ready to claim what has always been rightfully mine and take Malakai down until he's nothing but dust."

The office turns to silence after my sharp voice echoes around the room. "Whatever you say," Maddox nods once. "We've got training later. We need to keep up."

"I'll be right there behind you."

Maddox leaves a few moments later and once I'm figuring out the guards schedules for the territory watch, a knock at the door interrupts my train of thought. I glance up to find Liza in the doorway with a timid smile.

"Yes?"

"Viola is refusing to eat," she huffs.

My hand waves at her. "Leave the tray in her room. She'll pick at it sooner or later. She can't not eat. She's weak and in need of nourishment. Her natural instincts will take over eventually."

Liza opens her mouth but soon shuts it when she studies my face. "Very well. I'll try again."

After sorting through pack duties for the day, I head upstairs to Viola's room. I unlock the door with the key and push my hand to the solid wood. I step inside, my eyes sweeping the room to find Viola's dark brown eyes on mine already.

She noticeably stiffens and pushes herself further into the wall. Her hair is a mess. As if she's been ripping at the roots out of frustration. I tut silently at the sight and close the door behind me.

I glance at the tray left on the table. All the food is uneaten and untouched.

"Eat," I order.

She grits her teeth at me, red rings running around her eyes. "You don't get to tell me what to do."

I breathe through my nose sharply. "You need the strength," I let my voice boom across the room with authority. "The drugs are lowering your immune system. You need to eat something to regain your strength."

"Hell no," she snarls. "I'm not touching a single thing from this house."

My eyes narrow at her as she doesn't remove her gaze from mine. I take slow and steady steps towards her until she starts to visibly shake. She might be trying to show me her hard exterior and act like a bad girl, but I can see right through the silly persona. She's terrified of me. As she should be.

I lower down to her level and I listen to her throat clench. "Sweetness," I purr as I raise a finger and she flinches. I don't touch her. She might expect me to hit her but I'm not that sort of man. My finger touches the edge of her chin as I tilt her eyes back to mine. "Stop playing around like a little brat. Eat. Your. Food."

"Fuck you," she spits with flared nostrils. "I'm not a brat. Take me home. I want to go home."

"Why do you have to make this so difficult?"

"Why do you have to be a psycho and kidnap me?"

The corner of my lip twitches and I lower my head an inch. "The Moon Goddess really knows how to pick them."

Viola's gaze is ice cold and furious at the same time. It's adorable. She's adorable.

"I want to see my brother," she grumbles as dark hair falls over her face. "Let me see my brother and maybe I'll try to cooperate with you."

"I said no."

A growl erupts from her chest and it makes my wolf howl in response.

"He'll get the inkling of my mindlinks soon," she states as she attempts to raise her head with boldness. "We're twins. He'll be able to sense me."

My face bursts into a smug smile. "He won't, sweetness. This entire house is flooded with magic and you won't be able to slip a message through the barriers. Trust me, it's pointless."

Viola's nose scrunches in frustration. "Why are you doing this? Do you not care that you're hurting me? I'm not meant to be here."

I cup her cheek with my hand and let my thumb roll across her skin in slow, circular motions. A zap of electricity rushes through my veins and straight to my heart. Her breath hitches for a moment before she tries to cover up her reaction–but we both know what we feel.

The bond is vibrating, humming, singing.

Holy fuck. This isn't what I planned.

I pull away rapidly and my limbs freeze without the contact. No. No. That isn't the reason she's here. I might be possessive, but I need to keep focused on what's truly in front of me and what I need to do to keep this pack safe.

After a few moments I push onto my feet and walk to the tray of food. I take it between my hands to find Viola standing and moving towards the bed on shaky legs. I grimace at the sight of her wobbly stance and pale complexion.

She's not doing herself any favours. Silly girl.

"Here," I thrust it in her direction. "Eat something before you make yourself pass out."

Viola inspects the food and when I think she's going to accept it, she smacks her hand into the base of the tray until it flies everywhere. I take a step back as it tumbles to the floor and leaves stains across my T-shirt. "Go fuck yourself. I am not your puppet. I am not your prisoner. I am your goddamn mate, Haze. Even though that's the last thing I want to be."

I take a breath before I lose it completely, but I'm already on the edge. Something drips down the curve of my jaw and I swipe it away with anger. The fucking audacity.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I bellow.

"I said I'm not eating a single thing."

My entire body shakes and I'm ready to explode at her juvenile actions. I lean over her until she backs into the post, her eyes wavering for a moment. My jaw grits as I flick my gaze between hers.

"Do that again," I rasp. "And you'll fucking regret it."

"What are you going to do? If you're going to hurt me, kill me, torture me. Do it already."

I take her cheeks between my fingers and she releases a loud gasp. My nose brushes hers as I draw her closer, bending down to match her height. "You don't want to get on the wrong side of me, sweetness."

Viola's lashes brush her cheek and water lines the bottom of her lids. I'm not holding her tight enough to hurt her. Despite the reputation I might have, I'd never physically hurt her. I'd never lay a finger on her. But I can be spiteful in other ways and I'm not afraid to admit it.

"Get off me," she tries to pull away but I tighten my grip.

"Don't eat," I rasp. "But it's going to be painful as hell when you start rotting from the inside out."

I release her face and she immediately scurries away from me. She might put on a front but she cannot hide the true terror inside her–it's practically melting off her exterior. My wolf got a sniff of her fear and is feeding off it. My ego is too.

"I'd rather take my chances," she whimpers. "Than do anything with you."

My mouth twitches to say something more but I refuse to lose my temper. Instead I kick the tray until it hits the wall and walk around the bed to the door before locking it.

I stare at the door and huff out a breath of aggravation. She can play her games but I'm going to play mine too. And I'm not giving up. Not when this could change everything.

✧

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Author's Note

Ooooppp so now we know Haze's true intentions😬

eeeek, it's going to be dramatic when Viola finds out the truth!!!

How quickly do we think Haze will realise that he cannot deny the mate bond and Viola?🫢

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